Nebraska high school athletes sign college letters of intent this week
Earlier this week, 34 Nebraska high school athletes signed with various Power Five sports programs across the country ranging from baseball at Oregon in the Pacific Northwest to Auburn Diving down in the Deep South. Baseball led the way with nine while volleyball was close with eight.
Below is a list of the 34 who signed with Power Five schools as well as other athletes who signed with Division I and Division II programs.
Kat Beachler – Millard North – BYU Track and Field
Beachler has been the dominant thrower in Class A each of the past three years. She has six medals in shot put and discus, has won the last two shot titles and won discus gold as a sophomore. Her top shot toss measures 45 feet, 1 and 1/4 inches while her best discus throw landed at 141 feet, 3 inches.
Jackson Benge – Westside – Nebraska Golf
Benge won the Nebraska Junior Match Play Championship in June 2022 and has state tournament finishes that include tied for third this past spring and tied for fourth as a sophomore.
Riley Boonstra – Norris – Nebraska Track/Cross Country
Boonstra is a four-time state cross country qualifier, back-to-back champion who also swept the distance races at state track last spring. His cross country titles gave the Titans just their second-ever individual state champ.
Karina Capron – Fremont – Nebraska Bowling
Qualified for the championship bracket of the girls Class A tournament as a junior and reached the semifinals as a sophomore. Her efforts in the team tournament helped the Tigers take third in 2022 and win the state championship back in February.
Dennis Chapman – Creighton Prep – Nebraska Track/Cross Country
Qualified for the state cross country meet as a freshman then won a medal each of the next three years. Won four medals at the state track meet last spring including silver in the 800.
Paisley Douglas – Skutt Catholic – Southern California Volleyball
Douglas has been a major factor in the Skyhawks winning titles number seven, eight and nine. She’s been a part of the back row for each of those and totaled 1,745 digs the last three years.
AJ Evasco – Lincoln East – Kansas State Baseball
Th East first baseman/infielder stands at an imposing 6-foot-6 in the left-handed batters box while throwing from his right with an 82mph infield velocity. He and the Spartans won a state title last spring with contributions from him that included a .355 average, 33 RBIs, 25 runs scored, 20 extra-base hits and a .993 fielding percentage.
Kale Fountain – Norris – LSU Baseball
Owns the state record for career home runs and still has a season of varsity baseball remaining. Fountain has been tested by perfect game for an 86mph fastball and 102mph velocity off the bat.
Braden Frager – Lincoln Southwest – Nebraska Basketball
Averaged 11 points, seven rebounds and nearly two assists as a junior. Stands a 6-foot-7 and plays on the win for the Silver Hawks. Frager shot 42% from three last season, reclassified to a senior so he could join the Huskers this summer and has what Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg calls a “Big 10-ready body.”
Faith Frame – Papillion-La Vista – Cincinnati Volleyball
Frame is another Nebraskan who was named to the AVCA High School All-American Team. The Papio libero/defensive specialist anchored the backline for a Monarch team that played in its first championship match in nine seasons. Frame had 618 digs on the season, put together seven matches with 20 or more digs and had 42 in the first-round state tournament win over rival Papio South.
Gavin Gerch – Lincoln Southeast – Creighton Golf
Gerch’s golfing talents have helped Southeast to back-to-back conference championship and third at the 2023 Class A Championship. He averaged a score of just over 73 as a junior, tied for third at state and won the conference title. Gerch’s dad, Andy, played baseball at Nebraska.
David Hatt – Pius X – Auburn Diving
Hatt burst onto the scene as the state runner-up in his freshman season, was third place as a sophomore and took the title this past February.
Alivia Hausmann – Norris – Creighton Volleyball
Has been a starter since her freshman season and put together a career with 788 digs and 153 aces. Was named an Honorable Mention High School All-American by the AVCA.
Julia Karmazin – Elkhorn North – Creighton Golf
Karmazin has been named to the Super State Team each of her four varsity seasons, won the 2021 state championship then followed it up with runner-up medals in 2022 and 2023 and won the Nebraska Girls Amateur Championship this past summer after finishing as runner-up in 2022.
Lucia Krings – Elkhorn North – Kansas Swimming
Krings was on the podium at state in all four of her events as a freshman, highlighted by silver medals in the 50 and 200-yard freestyle. Since then she’s given up high school swimming in favor of club swimming and competing on the national level.
Tyson Lewis – Millard West – Arkansas Baseball
Lewis has dealt with injuries in his career, including missing his junior season. Regardless, his star has shined bright with a .460 average, 37 runs, 37 RBIs and 16-extra base hits this past spring.
Malayah Long – Lincoln Southwest – Marquette Volleyball
Set the Southwest offense to over 1,300 kills and a .246 hitting percentage. As the quarterback of that offense, Long put up 1,067 assists while leading the Silver Hawks to its first-ever volleyball championship.
Allison Marshall – Gretna – Nebraska Soccer
Marshall has a natural scoring touch that has made her one of the most dynamic threats on the field each of the past two seasons. She’s enjoyed a state title at the end of each of those and can help Gretna make it four in a row this spring. Her career has included 36 goals and 13 assists in 41 matches.
Olivia Mauch – Bennington – Nebraska Volleyball
Rated No. 16 overall by PrepVolleyball in the 2024 recruiting class, Mauch averaged 7.1 digs per set and only made two receiving errors all season. That figure represents .39% of 508 total opportunities. Mauch was the starting libero for the USA U19 World Championship team.
Nessa McMillen – Blair – Nebraska Softball
Was one of the top 25 players in the state this season with a batting average of .521, was also among the top 25 in slugging percentage, third with 54 RBIs and second with 55 runs scored. That last figure set a new school record. McMillen plays every position on the diamond outside the circle and has a fielding percentage of .932.
Michael Meckna – Elkhorn South – Oregon Baseball
Another guy with height, Meckna stands at 6-3 and plays in the outfield and on the pitching mound. His fastball has been clocked at 89-92mph while his breaking ball arrives at 79-81.
Mallorie Meyer – Lincoln East – Pittsburgh Volleyball
Averaged almost four digs per set and had 419 total for a Norris squad that played for the Class B state title. Had more than 20 digs in a match four times.
Carter Mick – Lincoln East – Nebraska Baseball
Mick is an excellent athlete who excels both on the diamond and on the hardwood. He’s a lefty who went 7-1 as a junior, posted an ERA of 1.47 and had 72 strikeouts in 52 and 1/3 innings pitched.
Stella Miner – Westside – Kansas State Track/Cross Country
Miner already has five state track medals with one more season to go and recently wrapped up a varsity cross country career with four top five finishes. She capped her cross country career with back-to-back state cross silver medals.
Colin Nowaczyk – Elkhorn North – Nebraska Baseball
Nowaczyk was a major reason why the Wolves captured the first boys title in school history last spring when he hit .322, scored 15 runs, drove in 18 and smacked five extra-base hits. He also store 14 bases, went 9-0 as a pitcher, had an 0.39 ERA, struck out 72 and had just three earned runs in 54 innings.
Britt Prince – Elkhorn North – Nebraska Basketball
Maybe the most heralded recruit of any in the state. Prince has been electric since stepping on the court as a freshman and leading the Wovles to a state title. She’s followed that up with two more, has been part of 72 wins and averaged 24.2 points last winter as a junior.
Presden Sanchez – Creighton Prep – Maryland Wrestling
Sanchez was a 113-pound state champ last season after earning third and fourth his first two varsity seasons. Will surpass 100 wins this winter and has only suffered 15 defeats in three years.
Tyler Smolinski – Bellevue West – Kansas State Baseball
Smolinski has attracted attention from Division I schools thanks to his consistency at the plate. The TBird senior hit .324 as a sophomore then .348 as a junior, he has 39 career runs scored, 32 RBIs and 12 extra-base hits to go with 18 stolen bases.
Mia Tvrdy – Papillion-La Vista – Oregon Volleyball
Tvryd has been named to the AVCA Girls High School All-American Team as a First Team selection. She was also one of 24 athletes nationwide to be invited to the Under Armour All-American Match. Tvrdy amassed 1,169 kills and hit .305 in four seasons for Papio.
J’Shawn Unger – Blair – Nebraska Baseball
Unger does it all for the Bears but it’s on the mound where his talent translates to the next level. The Blair senior stands at 6-foot-4 and uses that frame to generate the type of power that has his fastball already over 90mph.
Nick Venteicher – Millard West – Creighton Baseball
Venteicher isn’t as imposing on the mound but don’t let that frame fool you. The righty spins it in at 86-88mph at his best and had an exit velocity of over 94mph as measure by Prep Baseball Report.
Kennadi Williams – Lincoln Southwest – Nebraska Basketball and Softball
Williams is the daughter of Husker women’s coach Amy Williams who has been a force on the diamond and the hardwood. As a softball player, Williams posted a career .402 batting average 129 runs scored, 49 RBIs, 33 extra-base hits, 48 stolen bases and a .901 fielding percentage. In hoops, she plays the point and serves as Southwest’s top ball distributor. She missed most of last season but, when healthy, had 80 assists and averaged over 10 points per game as a sophomore.
Claire White – Westside – Iowa State Track/Cross Country
Was fifth, third and third at state cross country before taking Class A gold this fall. Her varsity track career has produced 10 state medals including the 3200 silver medal last May.
Jack Witte – Millard West – Nebraska Track/Cross Country
Has won a state cross country medal each of the three years he qualified. On the track, Witte was the 1600 and 3200 meter Class A state champion and was part of the runner-up two-mile relay last spring. He has seven total state track medals.
Nora Wurtz – Douglas County West – Creighton Volleyball
Was an all-state selection last season with 371 kills and a .432 hitting percentage and was even better this fall. It’s no coincidence that DC West has only been to state twice and those two years were with Wurtz on the roster.
Other Division I Athletes
Madison Adams – Lincoln East – Lindenwood Softball
John Alden – O’Neill – Wyoming Wrestling
Miles Anderson – Millard South – Arkansas-Little Rock Wrestling
Treyson Anderson – Pius X – North Dakota State Baseball
Kooper Barnes – Lincoln East – South Alabama Softball
Kat Beachler – Millard North – BYU Track and Field
Reese Beemer – Bellevue West – South Dakota State Track
Mordan Bode – Papio South – South Dakota Volleyball
Reese Booth – Elkhorn North – UNI Volleyball
Molly Caruso – Millard North – UNO Cross Country/Track
Lexi Cerone – Gretna – South Dakota Soccer
Emma Cook – Millard North – UTEP Soccer
Will Cooper – Millard South – Air Force Basketball
Nyaluak Dak – Lincoln Southeast – Texas A&M Commerce
Kendyl Delimont – Ainsworth – UNO Basketball
Reagan Dreibelbis – Marian – UNO Softball
Hailey Eriksen – Marian – South Dakota Diving
Marlee Ervin – Ogallala – Southern Utah Volleyball
Thomas Fraley – Lincoln East – Emporia State Baseball
Alyssa French – Millard West – UNO Soccer
London De Fini – Gretna – Lipscomb Soccer
Mason Gaines – Lincoln East – UNO Baseball
Sarah Galligan – Elkhorn South – UNO Volleyball
Tatum Godinez – Westside – Sioux Falls Volleyball
Jamison Harris – Creighton Prep – UNO Baseball
Nielli Heinhold – Scottsbluff – Long Island Golf
Presley Heiss – O’Neill – UNK Track and Field
Elly Honnens – Lincoln East – UNO Golf
Haedyn Hoos – Grand Island – UNK Volleyball
Tanner Hosick – Bellevue West – UNO Baseball
Sara Iburg – Pius X – South Dakota State Softball
Jaden Jackson – Bellevue West – South Dakota State Basketball
Connor Jasso-Steichen – Creighton Prep – UTEP Golf
Inia Jones – Omaha Central – Bradley Basketball
Aidin Kolb – Lincoln Southwest – UNO Swimming/Diving
Charley Kort – Lincon Southwest – UNO Soccer
Isabella Lamb – Westside – Bemidji State Volleyball
Delaney Madson – Lincoln Southwest – South Dakota State Softball
Caroly Maser – Grand Island Central Catholic – Drake Volleyball
Peyton McCabe – Skutt Catholic – Drake Basketball
Quintan McCafferty – Omaha Concordia – Truman State Basketball
Laura Medeck – Papillion-La Vista South – South Dakota Volleyball
Cael Meranda – Lincoln Southwest – UNO Swimming/Diving
Maddox Meyer – Malcolm – UNO Baseball
June Mullen – Omaha Duchesne – Western Michigan Soccer
McKenna Murphy – Elkhorn North – Colorado State Basketball
Maguire Perkins – Gretna UNO Soccer
Beau Peterson – Gretna – Northern Illinois Golf
Kaelin Pribyl – Millard West – Southern Illinois Volleyball
Nick Riggs – Bellevue West – UNO Baseball
Maddie Rink – Lincoln Southwest – Northern Colorado Volleyball
Maddie Schmeling – Lincoln Southwest – Wayne State Soccer
Ellie Shanahan – Omaha Duchese – Saint Louis Track
Izzy Snowden – Marian – Drake Soccer
Laney Songster – Lincoln Northeast – South Dakota State Track
Garrett Springs – Lincoln East – Missouri State Baseball
Michael Stukenholtz – Gretna – UNO Soccer
Bree Urban – Millard South – UNO Softball
Mike Valdivia – Millard West – Tulane Baseball
Sam Vocelka – Millard North – UNO Golf
Nate Wachter – Bellevue West – North Dakota State Baseball
Ava Webber – Gretna – Alabama State Soccer
Naomi White – Bellevue West – Grand Canyon Basketball
Division II Athletes
Belle Akins – Elkhorn South – Chadron Softball
Taylor Arp – Arlington – Wayne State Track and Field
Mattingly Barnes – Omaha Mercy – Wayne State Softball
Haylee Bates – Fremont – Central Missouri Bowling
Makailey Beekman – Wayne State Cross Country/Track
Anna Borner – DC West – Wayne State Volleyball
Rozlyn Buettner – Gretna – Bemidji State Soccer
Morgan Byrd – Papillion-La Vista – Missouri Western Softball/Soccer
Leah Chance – Blair – Wayne State Softball
Gibson Chapman – Lincoln East – St. Cloud State Tennis
Cadyn Coyle – Bennington – UNK Wrestling
Allie Czapla – Blair – Wayne State Cross Country/Track
Julia Davenport – Papillion-La Vista – UNK Volleyball
Hudson Davy – Lincoln East – UNK Cross Country/Track
Davis Estill – Elkhorn South – William Jewell Baseball
Reece Ewoldt – Bellevue West – UNK Track and Field
Jett Grossart – Elkhorn North – Missouri Western Baseball
Chloe Hanel – Clarkson/Leigh – Wayne State Volleyball
Natalie Harris – Westside – Northern Iowa Swimming
Danika Hassel – Bayard – Chadron Volleyball
Addi Johnson – Columbus – UNK Volleyball
Ava Johnson – Westside – UNO Diving
Haley Lutjeharms – Pius X – Wayne State Softball
Claire Macklin – Norris – UNO Soccer
Kenzie Melcher – Bellevue West – NW Missouri State Basketball
Luke Noamoshie – Westside – Colorado Springs Soccer
Carso Obrecht – Millard North – Wayne State Baseball
Isaac Ochoa – Norfolk – South Dakota Cross Country/Track
Callie Ott – Millard West – Fort Hayes State Basketball
Ryker Pithan – Elkhorn North – NW Missouri State Track
Halle Reiter – Lincoln East – Arkansas State Soccer
Carleigh Reoh – Gretna – NW Missiouri Stat Golf
Carly Ries – Millard West – South Dakota Volleyball
Shawn Robinson – Skutt Catholic – St. Cloud State Baseball
Caylee Rowley – Waverly – Missouri Western Volleyball
Jerzie Schindler – Central City – UNK Softball
Payton Schnoor – Millard West – UMKC Softball
Maddie Scobee – Bennington – Wayne State Softball
Sophia Shultz – Raymond Central – Fort Hayes State Wrestling
Ava Snyder – Norris – UNO Swimming/Diving
Kennedy Sullivan – Norris – Boise State Soccer
Ava Spies – Elkhorn North – Wayne State Volleyball
Celia Spilker – Norris – UNO Volleyball
Chris Thiessen – Elkhorn North – Missouri Western Baseball
Ellie Thomas – Norris – South Dakota Cross Country/Track
Eldon Turner – Bellevue West – Wayne State Basketball
Maggie Turner – Papillion-La Vista – Arkansas-Little Rock Soccer
Kalli Ulven – Bellevue West – UNK Softball
Mason Villwok -Elkhorn – Chadron Wrestling
Emerson Waldow – Millard West – South Dakota Softball
Addy Walker – Gretna – Wayne State Soccer
Ethan Walters – Elkhorn – Wayne State Cross Country/Track
Haylee Wolf – Elkhorn North – Fort Hays State Volleyball
Zach Zauha – Omaha Concordia – William Jewell Lacrosse
Lincoln Southwest wing Braden Frager takes a photo alongside Nebraska basketball coach Fred Hoiberg during a recruiting trip. Fraeger reclassified to the senior class and was one of 34 Nebraska high school athletes to sign with a Power Five college sports program Wednesday. Photo courtesy of @BradenFrager on X (Twitter).
